J. Cole’s Sacramento concert was canceled only hours before showtime after a member of his touring crew died in a highway crash while transporting equipment for the rapper’s tour.
The 41-year-old was scheduled to perform at Golden 1 Center on Thursday, Aug. 27. The venue announced later that day that the concert would not go ahead following what it called the “tragic passing” of a crew member in a trucking accident, according to PEOPLE.
The driver was later identified as Jarlath Parkinson, 66, of Jackson, South Carolina. He had been driving a big rig carrying equipment for J. Cole’s Sacramento show after the truck traveled from Seattle, where the rapper performed Aug. 25.
The crash happened shortly after 6:05 a.m. on southbound Interstate 5 in Yolo County near Woodland. Parkinson was the truck’s sole occupant, and authorities said no other vehicles were involved.
J. Cole’s Sacramento Show Was Canceled After the Crew Member’s Death
View this post on Instagram
Golden 1 Center confirmed the cancellation later Thursday, saying its thoughts were with the crew member’s family and loved ones. Live Nation NorCal shared the same announcement as fans were preparing for the scheduled 8 p.m. concert.
“Following the tragic passing of a member of the touring crew in a trucking accident this morning, J. Cole’s show scheduled for tonight, August 27, at Golden 1 Center has been canceled,” the statement said.
Fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster were told that refunds would be issued automatically. Those who bought their tickets elsewhere were directed back to their original point of purchase. No replacement Sacramento date has been announced.
The Truck Was Carrying Equipment From J. Cole’s Seattle Show
The big rig had been moving tour equipment south from Seattle when it overturned on I-5. A representative for J. Cole confirmed to CBS News Sacramento that the equipment was intended for Thursday night’s Golden 1 Center performance.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s preliminary account, the truck drifted onto the right shoulder south of County Road 95. The driver then attempted to steer back onto the roadway, lost control and overturned.
CHP Sgt. David Barker said investigators had not determined what caused the truck to leave the lane. He mentioned distraction or the possibility that the driver had fallen asleep as scenarios investigators were considering, not established causes of the crash. The overturned big rig blocked both southbound lanes of I-5. Emergency crews extricated Parkinson from the vehicle, but he did not survive.
The Oakland Shows Remain on the Schedule
The Sacramento cancellation came between J. Cole’s Aug. 25 performance at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and two scheduled shows at Oakland Arena. As of Aug. 28, the Oakland venue continues to list concerts for Aug. 29 and Aug. 30, both beginning at 8 p.m.
The current California schedule also includes Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sept. 1, followed by Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sept. 3 and 4. Crypto.com Arena additionally lists another J. Cole performance for Sept. 7.
The Fall-Off Tour Is Scheduled Through December
J. Cole launched The Fall-Off Tour in Charlotte on July 11 in support of his seventh studio album, The Fall Off, which was released Feb. 6. Live Nation announced the run as the rapper’s first solo headlining tour in five years and his first full global tour in nearly a decade.
The itinerary extends beyond North America into Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The final currently announced performance is scheduled for Dec. 12 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.